Glimpse of a New World
by Tysonkaiexperiment
Summary: COMPLETE! Spoilers for the main ending, none of the paradox. As they get ready to go to the final battle, Noel imagines the lives of everyone he's been in contact with. Mentioned SnowSerah, HopeLightning, HopeAlyssa, and CaiusYeul.


I just beat the game, and I fucking _**cried**_ over the ending. I am one of those who fall so in love with the games that I become so attached, and I freakin' _**bawled**_. I hope I'm not the only one.

Oh, and this doesn't contain any spoilers for the secret ending, as I haven't unlocked that yet so I dunno what it's like.

The small bit of lyrics are the chorus from Charice's New World.

**Title**— Glimpse of a New World**  
>Author<strong>—Tysonkaiexperiment**  
>Fandom<strong>—Final Fantasy XIII-2**  
>CouplingsCharacters**—Mentioned SnowSerah, HopeLightning, HopeAlyssa and CaiusYeul.**  
>WarningsRating**—Spoilers for the ending, rated T for violence/death, nothing real big.**  
>Summary<strong>—Spoilers for the main ending, none of the paradox. As they get ready to go to the final battle, Noel imagines the lives of everyone he's been in contact with. Mentioned SnowSerah, HopeLightning, HopeAlyssa and CaiusYeul.**  
>Notes<strong>—There are very few times that a game made me so emotional, I am proud to be a _Final Fantasy_ fan.

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><p><strong>Glimpse of a New World<strong>

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><p>"<em>Can I just… have a moment Noel?<em>"

He nodded and took a few steps back, smiling gently as he imagined Serah smiling back at him before having Mog follow her to see Hope. They had been doing some last minute stops, collecting any monster crystals that might've been useful or collecting items to help become more powerful. Serah had mentioned visiting Hope, just for a little pep talk; he could've done it, but he understood she needed it from someone who knew her for more than the short time he did.

As she watched Hope and Alyssa babble on about the area, Noel took the time to survey his surroundings, coming across a woman talking quietly to a man. The woman angled her head to see the man's face better, her bobbed silver hair falling across her neck and instantly reminding him of Yeul. The man said something, his voice deep, not as deep as Caius' but it was enough to make him remember his past.

Everyone in his village called him the child of the three, he knew it was affectionate but he still got a bit annoyed with it sometimes.

But now, the more he thought about it, the more he realized maybe, like these two in front of him, he was the child in the family trio. Caius would be a sort of father-figure, strong and determined, looking down proud at Noel and lovingly at Yeul. And she'd smile back, possibly in that mature motherly way, Noel had always seen her silently clasp onto his arm as they'd mutter things he'd been too far away to hear.

And Noel would be there, running up late, or being the cause of anything hilarious, like the easy-going child of two silent but respectable parents. There was even a day where he ran up to them near the Oracle Drive, Caius smirked and called him an immature brat, Yeul giggled and asked if he had fun.

There was an ache in his heart as he thought of his real parents, their smiling faces as he cuddled them so long ago. But now there was only Yeul and Caius in his sights, the only two people he'd originally been focused on. He couldn't see Yeul die again, not anymore when he finally learned the truth. And Caius was still a kind man; Noel couldn't deny it just because the Guardian chose the wrong path to save Yeul.

Glancing back at Serah, he smiled as he noticed she had looked back at him as well while Hope was pushing Alyssa once more off his arm.

She had been thinking of him too.

Now he had someone else to protect, Serah was almost like his younger sister, and from the stories she told him he could see himself fitting in well in the Farron house. Lightning would sit quietly and munch on her breakfast, Noel would be reading books and trying to find out more about the past of the world with Serah cooking happily. And then Snow would come in, grinning and talking loudly enough that Lightning would probably try and smack him.

Serah turned the moment Hope called her name, and Noel chose to glance back to where he'd been looking. The couple was gone now, leaving him to sit on the broken wall where they originally were. He made his way over and rested upon it, looking back to the rowdy trio across the way. Honestly he could've joined them, but sometimes even with all their friendliness, he would still feel out of place.

During their adventure Serah told him about Hope traveling with Lightning and Hope had filled in the rest.

When he thought about it, Hope admitted that he had somewhat of a crush on Lightning, but she never once mentioned it or talked with him. He'd always thought it was a bit one-sided, so he never pursued. Yet at the same time, Serah had said she felt her sister's feelings while they tried to un-crystallize her, and she thought Lightning had felt the same. The moment he heard that, Hope had thrown back his head and laughed, Alyssa had made her way over to see what had caused that.

She looked up to her Director, Noel had come to realize that Alyssa may have loved Hope, but the romance wasn't really there. Her admiration for him had come from many things; he was just like her, having lost someone during the Purge, dealing with being so young and in such a high position, he was the older brother figure she'd probably been needing all that time.

In a way, Noel and Hope came to the conclusion they were the same, they had grinned only to be questioned by Alyssa and Serah before commenting it was nothing.

Glancing towards the trio, Noel saw Serah wave goodbye to the two before slowly making her way over. She was clutching her pendant quietly, looking deep in thought even as she walked. When she reached him she looked up and smiled, causing him to quietly smile back.

"I wonder what Snow's up to right now?"

"Probably taking on more flans." Noel joked, grinning as Serah gave him an amused look.

"I think… I'm ready now." She answered softly, releasing her pendant before clasping her hands together, "I mean, I was ready before. But this… I just needed to look at someone and say '_I'm coming back soon_'."

He nodded in understanding, the memories of those he said goodbye to in his time resting heavily on the back of his mind. He would give Serah all the time in the world, for she was going to see everyone when they were done, it was only a matter of time.

_Baby, I'm gonna see the New World with nothing but the love you gave me  
>Only thing I can do, is to trust the time we shared<br>Baby, I'm gonna go to the New World with nothing but the strength you gave me  
>There's nothing to be afraid of, I know you'll [love me] anywhere I should be<br>Even if it is dark and hard times for me, I don't wanna give up my heart_

She lay limp in his arms; he could feel her skin still warm from just moments ago, her eyes had never before been such a dull, unlit blue.

He could hear Hope coming closer; practically feel the joy that was pouring off Hope in waves. But Noel, he couldn't muster the strength to look at the man, couldn't even open his mouth. He just sat there; content with holding Serah in his arms and shaking, wishing he could just bring her back.

She had never once looked this way, like a Yeul did so very long ago. But Yeul still had some life left in her, the energy to look up and hold his cheek, and tell him they'd meet again.

Serah wasn't so lucky.

Serah never seemed to be lucky.

From having been a l'Cie to suddenly being a Seeress, she was always fighting death and coming close to never being with the ones she loved.

And now; now it was real, she wasn't going to open her eyes and smile, she wasn't going to call out his name, and she wasn't going to stand up and talk about their journey with all her friends.

What was he going to say to them?

He'd only met the lot of them, and now suddenly, it was like he was the family member who always had bad news, the one no one wanted around because after their lives would always be ruined. He had come to these times to _stop_ this from happening again, and here he was, letting it continue. Even when Serah had come to terms with it, he hadn't, it had been like a razor blade in the back of his mind, glistening and never letting him forget.

Vaguely he remembered the feelings he'd had during his Yeul's death, and how lost and frightened he'd been.

Now it was worse, worse then he could have ever thought.

With the gates closed, how was he going to do anything about Serah?

He _couldn't_ and he knew it.

How he hated himself.

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><p>Tke: The game itself was such an emotional roller coaster, I'd always wanted to write a fanfic for XIII, but I never did, I only featured the characters in my Kingdom Hearts fics. But now I plan on writing more, a ton more.<p>

_Reviews would be amazing!_


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